(c) McGraw-Hill 2011

1. Chapter 3:
Caregiving as Curriculum
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

2. Thinking Again About Infant-Toddler Curriculum
• Infant-toddler curriculum is a relationship-based
approach that:
– Stresses everyday activities such as feeding and
diapering
– Takes an activity approach that focuses on caregiving
routines
– Turns daily routines into curriculum
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3. Thinking Again About Infant-Toddler Curriculum
• Planning for attachment—a tie to a special
person—is a part of curriculum.
• Through three-R relationships, children develop
attachment, which gives them:
– A sense of trust and security
– A sense of importance
– The knowledge that they are being cared about
as well as cared for
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4. Policies that Support Curriculum as Caregiving
• Three policies for a caregiving curriculum:
– A primary caregiving system
– Consistency
– Continuity of care
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5. Policies that Support Curriculum as Caregiving
• A primary caregiving system:
– Assigns each caregiver to a small number of children
– Promotes attachment by building relationship
– Provides for interactions between caregivers and all
children in the setting, not just the caregiver’s assigned
children
What are some potential concerns with this system?
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6. Policies that Support Curriculum as Caregiving
• Consistency
– If caregivers plan carefully for change, children feel
more secure when it comes.
– Consistency gives children a sense of security.
– Predictability is an important part of consistency.
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7. Policies that Support Curriculum as Caregiving
• Continuity of care
– Continuity of care means children stay with one
caregiver for several years.
– A program which values continuity of care finds ways
to keep the group together.
– Continuity of care promotes attachment to adults and
other children.
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8. Assessment
• Assessing needs depends on communication.
• Attachment helps you learn each child’s way of
communicating.
What are some reasons
why infants cry?
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9. Caregiving Routines
• Caregiving routines include:
– Feeding
– Diapering
– Toilet training and toilet learning
– Washing, bathing, and grooming
– Dressing
– Napping
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10. Caregiving Routines
• Feeding
– Release time allows caregivers to hold each baby
while feeding.
– Feeding time should be quality time.
– Not all cultures view feeding similarly. Remember to
communicate with family members about feeding.
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11. Caregiving Routines
• Feeding
– Caregivers can help children learn self-help skills by:
• Using child-sized utensils
• Providing finger foods
• Giving small amounts of food
• Allowing children to explore and experiment with
food
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12. Caregiving Routines
• Feeding
– Pay close attention to food preparation, storage, and
clean up.
– Introduce foods one at a time.
What foods should be avoided during the
first 6 months? During toddlerhood? Why?
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13. Caregiving Routines
• Diapering
– Diapering is not a time for distraction.
– Involve children fully in the task.
• Acknowledge their feelings
• Verbalize their experiences
– Know proper sanitation procedures and follow them at
all times.
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14. Caregiving Routines
• Toilet Training and Toilet Learning
– Toilet learning is a readiness-based approach.
– Toilet learning depends on cooperation between
caregivers and family members, with a respect for
cultural influences.
– Consistency is a vital part of toilet learning.
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15. Caregiving Routines
• Washing, Bathing, and Grooming
– Most programs leave bathing up to parents.
– Hand washing is a great time for children to learn:
• A self-help skill
• The sensory properties of soap and water
• How to prepare themselves for eating
– Remember to respect various beliefs about grooming.
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16. Caregiving Routines
• Dressing
– Dressing activities allow children to develop:
• Self-help skills
• Motor coordination
• Cooperative skills with caregivers
How does dressing develop motor coordination?
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17. Caregiving Routines
• Napping
– Infants should be allowed to rest according to their
individual needs.
– Caregivers should learn each child’s ways of
expressing the need to rest.
– Each infant or toddler should have a personal crib/nap
space.
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18. Caregiving Routines
• Napping
– Caregivers need to know how to reduce the risk of
SIDS.
– Hints to help toddlers sleep include:
• Removing visual distractions when necessary
• Providing a quiet, peaceful atmosphere
• Ensuring all children get plenty of fresh air and exercise
• Not allowing children to get overtired
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19. Caregiving as Curriculum
• Caregiving as curriculum helps children learn:
– Cooperation
– Self-help skills
– Predictability
– Attachment
– Communication
– And so much more!
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20. Online Learning Center
• See Chapter 3 of the text’s Online Learning
Center for chapter quizzes, Theory Into Action
activities, Video Observations, and more.
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